Stoke bloke, Dennis Hancock wouldn’t win any beauty competitions. A life long Port Vale fan, Dennis is rapidly declining in middle age and slowly sinking into the ranks of the long-term unemployed.
In desperation he answers an advertisement in theStaffordshire Sentinel newspaper for an artist’s life model. But when troubled young artist, Kat Drosdzowski, begins to paint him, Dennis finds himself exposed in more ways than one…
This sets the scene for the excellent play about life and art, written by Potteries playwright Deborah McAndrew, Creative Director Staffordshire based theatre company Claybody Theatre, which she set up with husband and the plays original director Conrad Nelson
[blockquote]Breathlessly brilliant, Poignant and Funny – The message is that the Potteries are more beautiful than people think, and outsiders should not make easy judgements[/blockquote]
Originally showcased at the Capital New Writing Festival in Birmingham in 2010, since then the play received tremendous success here in Staffordshire and is back by popular demand returning to the region this autumn performing at The New Vic Theatre Weds 3 – Sat 13 Sept 2014
Not sure who produced the excellent trailer for the show, or whether the song is original – which we feel brilliantly captures the tone and style of the play – If anyone knows – let us know in comments below or drop us a line
Meet the cast
More about Deborah McAndrew
Originally from West Yorkshire, Deborah is a British actor and playwright who has now been based in Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire now for more than a decade.
Before setting up shop in the Potteries, Deborah enjoyed a career as a stage and TV actor – you may indeed recognise her as the feisty pint drinking young designer ‘Angie Freeman‘ from Coronation Street – a part she landed in her twenties following drama training at Manchester University.
As a playwright – and self confessed Bronte fan – Deborah’s works have included adaptations of classics, with some brought bang up to date or transposed into new settings.
She also has a growing roster of acclaimed original scripts too, staged by many of her regular collaborators including Northern Broadsides, New Vic Theatre, Birmingham MAC and Mikron Theatre Company.
Amongst the many works she has written, is the first world war drama ‘An August Bank Holiday Lark’. A moving piece which explores the impact of the First World War on a rural Lancashire community which premièred earlier this year at The New Vic theatre in stoke to mark the centenary of the start of the First World War, and is currently on National tour.
You can find out more about Deborah and her plays at her website or Twitter @MCA_Debbie
HOW TO BOOK UGLY DUCK
Booking Information
Tickets: £12.00 – £21.00
Concessions £2.00 off
Group Discounts £2.00 off for 10 or more
First Night Fever All seats £14.50 (no cons) Weds 3 Sep
Under 26 Go Free
Box Office – 01782 717962
